miR-34a is associated with clinical outcome of colorectal cancer patients

Aberrant expression of microRNA-34a (miR-34a) has been reported to be involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of various classes of malignancies. However, its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) has not been completely clarified. In the current study, we have investigated the clinical significance of miR-34a. MiR-34a expression in forty-three cases of colorectal cancer tissues decreased significantly compared to that in the adjacent non-tumorous colorectal tissues (P<0.05), as detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Significantly, the expression of miR-34a was correlated with infiltration depth and clinical TNM stage (P <0.05). The miR-34a however had no correlation with other features, such as age, gender, site, tumor sizes, lymph node metastasis, serous membrane infiltration ( all P> 0.05). MiR-34a is a tumor suppressor miRNA that plays a vital role in the oncogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer. This study suggests that miR-34a may be a new tumor marker or prognostic factor in colorectal cancer. The strategies to increase miR-34a level might be a critical targeted therapy for CRC in the future.